-Caveat Lector-
02-10-01
Report: two businessmen cooperating in Torricelli investigation
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Two businessmen associated with fund
raising abuses in Sen. Robert Torricelli's 1996 Senate campaign
are cooperating with federal investigators, The New York Times
reported in Saturday's editions.
According to anonymous sources cited by the newspaper,
investigators have uncovered evidence that Torricelli's chief
fund raiser solicited illegal campaign donations from Marc A.
Rousso and his associate, Philippe V. Hababou.
The fund raiser, Adam C. Crain, is among three former campaign
aides who the newspaper said have received ''target'' letters
from federal prosecutors indicating that they could be indicted.
The newspaper said Crain, 32, arranged for the campaign to accept
proceeds from an art auction organized by the men and held for
Torricelli at the Four Seasons hotel in Manhattan. Sources also
said Crain spoke with Rousso about donating $500,000 in radio
advertising to be used to support the 1996 campaign.
Hababou and Rousso have agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges
and are cooperating with federal investigators, the newspaper
said.
Torricelli attorney Robert Bauer said the campaign had acted
properly in its dealings with Rousso and Hababou.
''These tabloid tales, told by admitted criminals with a history
of fraud, are hardly worth of comment,'' he told the newspaper.
''But we do note that even these liars' stories collapse around
the fact that none of what has been alleged ever came to pass.''
Torricelli spokesman Dale Leibach on Saturday told The Associated
Press he had no comment to add beyond what Bauer had said
already.
A lawyer for Hababou, Kevin H. Marino, declined to comment.
The newspaper was unable to reach Rousso.
A lawyer for Crain, Adam F. Hoffinger, said his client has done
nothing wrong.
''These unsubstantiated allegations of convicted con artists and
liars are false,'' he said. ''No charges have been brought
against Adam Crain, and he has engaged in absolutely no
wrongdoing.''
Torricelli has said he has been reassured he is not a target of
the investigation. However, targets do not have to be notified
unless they are called before a grand jury.
Justice Department spokesman Chris Watney declined to comment to
the newspaper about the case.
Both Rousso and Hababou had been wanted in Europe on various
investment fraud charges around the time they met Torricelli,
according to the newspaper.
Shortly after he met Rousso, Torricelli sent Crain to follow up
on a pledge the native of France had made to raise as much as
$100,000 on the candidate's behalf, the newspaper reported.
Hababou told investigators that around that time, Crain returned
a $10,000 check from him because it was over the $2,000 limit for
individual donations to a candidate, but said Crain told him to
ask associates to write checks and reimburse them. Such
contributions are illegal.
Four checks of $2,000 sent to the campaign were credited to
Hababou, although his check for the same amount was returned when
it was learned he was a French national, the newspaper reported.
Six people, including Torricelli's chief accuser David Chang, so
far have pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions to that
campaign. In addition, Chang aide Audrey Yu admitted plotting to
obstruct the investigation.
Torricelli raised and spent more than $9 million in defeating
Republican Dick Zimmer in the 1996 campaign. Impressed, Senate
Democratic leaders appointed Torricelli as vice chairman of their
political and fund-raising arm, the Democratic Senatorial
Campaign Committee. He served as chairman for the 2000 election
cycle.
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Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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